


"Excuse me if I seem a little unimpressed with this. An anti-social pessimist but usually I don't mess with this."

by SlitheredFromEden



Series: "OCD Got Nothing On Me (Yeah Right)" a memoir by Arthur Pendragon [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, M/M, Meet the Family, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-16 21:40:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5841958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlitheredFromEden/pseuds/SlitheredFromEden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin takes Arthur to meet his family...</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Excuse me if I seem a little unimpressed with this. An anti-social pessimist but usually I don't mess with this."

**Author's Note:**

> It took forever to decide a title, it's from Here by Alessia Cara  
> Enjoy!!!!!!!

"How was therapy, Arthur?" Merlin asked him as he set the table. 

"Could've went better," Arthur shrugged twice. "Leon Leon Leon is alright though." 

"Dr. Knight, one of the best specialists." Merlin said encouragingly. 

"Whatever," Arthur rolled his eyes. "How's your mother?" 

"Great... sh, uh, invited us to spend spring break with her." Merlin announced, then  mumbled "I said we'll be there." 

"Spend spend spend spend spend the whole break? Merlin I never been there! I don't don't don't don't where anything or where to go." 

Merlin opened his mouth to speak but Arthur went on "How do they have their kitchen orignized? How frequent do they do the dishes? I need to know these things, Merlin!" 

Merlin expected this outburst. He had a speech prepped for it and everything. But seeing that frantic look on his boyfriend's face made him rethink. 

"Arthur it's alright, we just won't go." Merlin gave in. 

He looked relieve for a moment, Arthur shook his head. "No." 

"No?" 

"We are going to your your your parent's place. I can do it." Arthur declared confidently. 

"Really?" Merlin was shocked at Arthur's optimism

"Yeah, I just need need the blue print of the house, the history history history history of police and fire department calls,-"

"Police and fire department phone calls from the house?" Merlin raised an eyebrow. 

"No, the neighborhood. Come on keep up, Merlin." Arthur sighed dramatically. "How many locks are on the door door door door door? Do they have a security system?" 

"All good questions." Merlin nodded. "I'll call and report back to you." 

 "Okay, I can do this." Arthur said more to himself than anyone else. 

Arthur pushed his darkened thought to the back of his mind, he only had a few moments before they return. He wants to prove to Merlin that he can put himself 'out there' as scaring as 'out there' sounded Arthur wasn't giving up. What if they judge him, then Merlin will leave him for sure.

Why would he stay with someone was broken and tragic as he is. He'll find a normal person who could stand still, not repeat the same word over and over again, and someone who doesn't wake him up a thousand times a night to make sure he's still breathing. Arthur squeezed his eyes forcing his thoughts into the back of his mind once again. 

The dreaded day creeped out from around the corner. Arthur had prepared his essentials from the day of the announcement. Unlike Merlin, who still hasn't even finished yet. 

"Merlin." Arthur said impatiently. "If you let me do it, we could've been have way way way way there." 

"I want to pack my own things, Arthur." Merlin chuckled. 

Merlin shoved his socks between his clothing when Arthur left the room to check the stove. They were already late and he didn't need to be taught how to fold his clothes right now. 

"I'm ready." Merlin cheered. 

They left their flat, at the door Arthur simply touched the light switch on his way out. Progress, that Leon Knight is a miracle worker.

"I'm driving." Arthur decided. "I need to keep occupied from my thoughts."

Another thing Leon helped with, Arthur says what's on his mind now, what he needs and repeats his words less. It happens only when he's in uncomfortable situations.

Merlin turned on the radio, he immediately turned it to the pop channel. Rachel Platten's Stand By You. He turned it up, singing along with the lyrics. 

_(even if we can't find heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven)_

"Merlin.." Arthur warned. Merlin ignored him. 

_Hands, put your empty hands in mine_

_And scars, show me all the scars you hide_

_And hey, if your wings are broken_

_Please take mine so yours can open, too_

"Merlin, shut up." Arthur tried again, no luck. 

_'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Oh, tears make kaleidoscopes in your eyes_

_And hurt, I know you're hurting, but so am I_

_And, love, if your wings are broken_

_Borrow mine 'til yours can open, too_

_'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

"C'mon occupy yourself, Arthur." Merlin pleaded. Arthur gave in singing along with the radio. 

_Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you_

_Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you_

_Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Yeah, you're all I never knew I needed_

_And the heart—sometimes it's unclear why it's beating_

_And, love, if your wings are broken_

_We can brave through those emotions, too_

_'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Oh, truth—I guess truth is what you believe in_

_And faith—I think faith is having a reason_

_And I know now, love, if your wings are broken_

_Borrow mine 'til yours can open, too_

_'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you_

_Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you_

_Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_I'll be your eyes 'til yours can shine_

_And I'll be your arms, I'll be your steady satellite_

_And when you can't rise, well, I'll crawl with you on hands and knees_

_'Cause I... I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through (come on)_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you_

_Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you_

_Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you_

_Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

_Love, you're not alone_

_Oh, I'm gonna stand by you_

_(even if we can't find heaven, heaven, heaven)_

_Yeah, I'm gonna stand by you_  

As the song came to an end Merlin applauded like a mad man. "You're an amazing singer." 

"Thanks," Arthur blushed. 

"C'mon, another one!" Merlin declared. 

About fifteen songs and six arguments later, the couple arrived Merlin's parent's house. Merlin lead his boyfriend to the door. 

"Deep breaths, the ones you learned at therapy." 

 Merlin's mother, Hunith, opened the door after three knocks. 

"Merlin!" She brought her son in for a hug, followed up with Arthur. "Hello, Arthur." 

"Hello," he smiled kindly. 

Merlin felt the tension rise from his shoulders. Arthur was doing pretty well. 

"Come in, let's get you washed up for dinner." Hunith shut the door. Arthur was tempted to reopen the door so he could shut it properly. He couldn't take his eyes off the door, his mind raced. His limbs betrayed him once more. He sighed in relief as he gripped the knob. 

"Arthur?" Hunith asked. 

Arthur's eyes shot toward her. She had an expensing on her face, he couldn't tell what it was. "Yes?" 

"Did you forget something in the car?" She glanced at his hand that held the knob tightly. Merlin gave her a stern look. Her mouth shaped in a form of an 'O', then walked away. 

"You didn't have to do do do that, Merlin." 

"I didn't do anything!" He defended himself. "She walked away on her own." 

Arthur's eyes narrowed "I couldn't resist." 

"We are working on this in therapy. Don't be so hard yourself." 

Arthur swung the door four times as stealthy as he could. He didn't want to disturb Merlin's family. 

"Let's prepare for dinner."

The dinner table was filled with people, Arthur would be lying if he said he wasn't scared. He took his place beside Merlin. He frowned at the setup before him; there was a spoon and knife on the left side of the plate and a fork and cup on the right. 

Unknowingly, the blond began arranging his utensils. Knife, fork, and spoon on the right and cup on the left. Once he looked up stares from the Emrys family were boring into his very being. .  

"So, Arthur." Balinor broke the awkward silence. "What do you do for a living?" 

"I'm currently currently

unemployed." Arthur answered as he tried aligning the utensils symmetrically. 

"Are you an OCD?" A ignorant looking teen asked him. 

"Yes, I have OCD." He politely corrected her. 

"Sophia," a woman, most likely her mother hissed. 

"I have OCD sometimes." Sophia continued ignoring her mother. "When girls have uneven eyebrows." 

"That isn't isn't isn't isn't OCD." Arthur gritted out. 

"What is? Repeating words like a weirdo?" She retorted 

"No no no no no." 

"Yes yes yes yes." Sophia mocked with a smirk. 

"Sophia!" Merlin chided. 

"What I'm just asking him a question." Arthur had the urge to slap his girl. He decided not to because if does it on one cheek he'll have to slap the other. 

"Will," Merlin faced his best friend. "Do something! She's your daughter!" 

"Sophia, apologize!" Her father demanded. 

"Sorry, jeez." The girl scoffed. 

"Listen," Arthur's voice was low and frightening yet audible to the entire table. "I'll tell you OCD is imagine imagine imagine that your mind got stuck on a certain thought or image… Then this thought or image got replayed replayed in your mind over and over again no matter what you did… You don’t want these thoughts thoughts — it feels like an avalanche… Along with the thoughts come intense intense intense intense feelings of anxiety… Anxiety is your brain’s alarm system.  When you feel anxious, it feels like you are in danger.  Anxiety is an emotion that tells you to respond, react, protect protect protect protect yourself, DO SOMETHING! On the one hand, you might recognize that the fear doesn’t make sense, doesn’t seem reasonable, yet it still feels very real, intense, and true… Why would your brain lie lie? Why would you have these feelings if they weren’t true? Feelings don’t lie…  Do they? Unfortunately, if you have OCD, they do lie.  If you have OCD OCD OCD OCD OCD OCD, the warning system in your brain is not working correctly.  Your brain is telling you that you are in danger when you are not. When scientists compare pictures of the brains of groups of people with OCD, they can see that some areas of the brain are different than the brains of people who don’t have OCD. Those tortured with OCD are desperately desperately desperately trying to get away from paralyzing, unending anxiety… THAT'S WHAT IT IS. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE!" 

The whole Emrys family were gaping like fish. Arthur stood, "If you will excuse excuse excuse me." 

"Arthur, wait!" Merlin chase after him. "Come back, eat something. Sophia will give a real apology." 

"I'm fine, join you're family." Arthur smiled assuringly. "I'll unpack our things. If I star now, I'll probably finish before it gets too late." 

Merlin glanced at his boyfriend unconvinced. Arthur pecked himsweetly on the lips. "Go." 

Arthur found his way back to their temporary room. He locked the door and let out a sob. He didn't know why he was crying but a nagging thought said that he missed his family. He's only family; Morgana. He scoffed, he didn't. He feared if that scary thought wasn't lying, but then again how could he tell? 

The answer is never. 

**Author's Note:**

> Two questions...
> 
> Would you guys like to see more of Arthur and Merlin at the Emrys household'?  
> And...  
> Do you like these stories long or brief? 
> 
> Please answer!!! 
> 
> Oh yeah tell me what you think, don't hold back :)


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